Caterer & Hotelkeeper articles from November 2004

Caterer & Hotelkeeper archives from November 2004

Critical skills.
November 4, 2004... The world turned upside down when top food critics went into the kitchen to cook for an audience of chefs and restaurateurs - all in aid of Action Against Hunger. Emma Allen was there As culinary experiences go, [pounds sterling]130 for a...

CONTRACT WINS.(Brief Article)
November 4, 2004... Lexington bags four new deals Lexington Catering has announced four new contracts which add up to a total annual turnover of [pounds sterling]2m. Lexington has started three-year deals at Singer & Friedlander bank in the City to provide...

how i got here.(Biography)
November 4, 2004... Mark Parfait, development chef, Avenance Mark Parfait, 30, firmly believes that relevant work experience carries more weight with employers, and is of more use personally, than solely classroom-based learning. His view has been shaped...

on the mo ve.
November 4, 2004... The five-star Swissotel the Howard, London, has appointed a new director of sales and marketing, SIMONE BROEKHAAR. She joins from Swissotel Amsterdam hotel, where she was director of sales and marketing. Glasgow company BDL Hotel Group...

Court in the act.(Courthouse Kempinski)(Restaurant Review)
November 4, 2004... The opening of the opulent Bentley hotel in London last year crept up on most industry watchers unannounced. Behind the project was the little-known Sanger family, who also own the Washington hotel in the city's Mayfair. Now they're back with...

How to...(recipes and menus)(prawn soup)(Brief Article)
November 4, 2004... make Mju-style prawn soup Mju prawn soup (Serves two) Ingredients H 200ml carrot juice H 150ml Granny Smith apple juice H 50ml celery juice H 6 large prawns H Sprig and root of saw-leafed Vietnamese Balm...

The burning issue.
November 4, 2004... Smoke-free, or free to smoke? Simon Wright Do I smoke? Well, I accept that it may appear that way. I buy cigarettes, I light them, I put them in my mouth and yes, I inhale. So that makes me a smoker, doesn't it? Not necessarily....

Table talk.
November 4, 2004... Keep it down, but don't put it down A restaurant for anorexics opens in Berlin next month. Sehnsucht ("Longing"), a cosy 50-seat establishment, is the brainchild of a former anorexic, employs a bulimic waitress, and has an anorexic chef....

La Riviera.(Restaurant Review)
November 4, 2004... Where in Britain is the food more exotic and full of flavour than in Languedoc? Inverness, of course, says chef Loic Lefebvre. Emma Allen went to find out why From warm, idyllic Languedoc-Roussillon to the Highlands of Scotland sounds an...

Last supper.
November 4, 2004... The Savoy Grill's JOSHEMETT heads for south-east France, where Michel Bras whips up a feast of sweetbreads, lobster and pigeon while Led Zeppelin disturbs the neighbours Let's get the venue sorted first. It would have to be somewhere...

Swiss takes European apprentice chef title.(Damien Doutaz )(Brief Article)
November 4, 2004... Damien Doutaz from Switzerland beat finalists from all over Europe to win the title of Best Apprentice Chef in Europe 2004 at this year's Maitres Cuisiniers de France competition, held for the first time in London. The competition took...

Sandwich market still has room to grow.
November 4, 2004... Forget the rise of low-carb diets and the talk of sandwiches being past it - according to its followers the market still has a long way to go. Karl Cushing investigates The great British sandwich is fighting back, according to its...

property of the week.(Adelphi House, a Georgian mansion in Paisley, near Glasgow)(Brief Article)
November 4, 2004... Maybe you've dreamed of setting up on your own but been put off by sky-high property prices. Perhaps you're not sure what to buy your partner this Christmas. Well, assuming you've got [pounds sterling]25 to spare, we may have the answer. ...

Your shout.(Beware the rating bandits)(Brief Article)
November 4, 2004... Beware the rating bandits, by Michael Yass, head of rating at chartered surveyor Fleurets The rateable values of all licensed and commercial properties in England and Wales are to be reviewed with effect from 1 April 2005 and the Valuation...

BOOKREVIEW.(Book Review)
November 4, 2004... INDIAN ESSENCE Atul Kochhar Photography by David Loftus [pounds sterling]18.99, Quadrille ISBN 1-84400-077-X After cooking classical French food for 14 years, I thought it was rather strange to be asked to review a book...

Queens Moat Houses off the Stock Exchange.(Brief Article)
November 4, 2004... Troubled hotel group Queens Moat Houses (QMH) has ceased trading on the London Stock Exchange following its takeover by Goldman Sachs-owned property financier Whitehall 2001. The deal, which will see the hotel group undergo a [pounds...

regional spotlight.(Brief Article)
November 4, 2004... YORKSHIRE COAST Generations of fledgling holiday-makers once flocked to the Yorkshire coast, but in the seventies and eighties its resorts fell on hard times as tourists opted for more exotic climes. However, while Scarborough "got stuck...

Soho Clubs and Bars wants more sites and longer opening hours.(Brief Article)
November 4, 2004... Central London bar group Soho Clubs and Bars is to buy two more late-night licensed venues in Soho in the next two months. Jeremy Gordeno, managing director of the newly formed group, would not name the venues but said more sites would...

School's dinners praised at organic food awards.(Brief Article)
November 4, 2004... A Bath primary school has won the best school dinners title at the Soil Association's Organic Food Awards 2004. Southdown Infants' School was praised for its commitment to using fresh ingredients, at a special ceremony held yesterday (3...

American Express says smoking ban will attract more customers.(Brief Article)
November 4, 2004... Restaurants would see more customers come through their doors if a ban on smoking in the workplace were introduced, according to a survey by American Express Establishment Services. The survey of members of the public attending the Taste of...

Group lines up third Bombay Bicycle Club.(Clapham House Group )(Brief Article)
November 4, 2004... Clapham House Group has exchanged contracts for its third Bombay Bicycle Club restaurant in London. The group, set up last year by two former PizzaExpress directors, is buying the former Nimmo restaurant in Holland Park that was part of the...

Promoting the wonder of water to the elderly.(National Association of Care Catering )(Brief Article)
November 4, 2004... Water is the theme of this year's Meals on Wheels Week, which starts next Monday (8 November). The National Association of Care Catering (NACC) has teamed up with Water UK and the Water for Health Alliance to encourage meals on wheels...

Restaurateur ignored hygiene warnings.(Brief Article)
November 4, 2004... The owner of a "filthy" Chinese restaurant considered by environmental health officers to be a health hazard was ordered to pay more than [pounds sterling]20,000 at Leicester Crown Court last week. Choon Yip Chai, proprietor of the Royal Chef...

Bewley's bow out of Dublin after losses.(Brief Article)
November 4, 2004... Two of Dublin's oldest and best-known cafes - Bewley's Oriental Cafes - will close later this month because they're too big to make a profit in today's market. The closure of the landmark venues in Grafton Street and Westmoreland Street...

Licenses are still increasing.(Brief Article)
November 4, 2004... The number of pubs, restaurants, and bars that sell alcohol continues to grow, despite a slight blip over the past year, according to new Government figures. The Liquor Licensing survey, which is conducted every three years, counted...

Waitresses sought for interactive TV quiz show.
November 4, 2004... If you're a waitress, well versed in current events, and have the bottle not to be cowed by Anne Robinson, then Talent TV wants to hear from you. The TV production company behind the BBC's Test the Nation interactive TV quiz is seeking 40...

Warwickshire pub enjoys 40% increase in food sales.(Brief Article)
November 4, 2004... A Greene King pub in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, has seen its sales rocket 40% since converting to a no-smoking venue in April. Steve Dell, manager at the Garrick Inn, said year-on-year food sales to October had soared since the pub...

Review of the REVIEWS.(Joy King)(Old Course hotel)(Restaurant Review)
November 4, 2004... 30 October Victor Lewis-Smith has something nice to say for once at the Joy King, Lymm, Cheshire There's little to write about the food, except that it was perfect. The salt-and-pepper chicken was as good as anything I've had in the...

Whitbread gets tough in quest for expansion.(Brief Article)
November 4, 2004... Whitbread is to double its capital expenditure on acquiring new sites and dispose of [pounds sterling]800m of non-core and low-returning assets. The strategy, which includes the sale and manage-back of up to 25 Marriott hotels, was...

Every name counts in anti-smoking campaign.(Brief Article)
November 4, 2004... Caterer's Stub out Smoking campaign is continuing to strike a chord with readers. So far hundreds have signed and returned petition forms to our office. But we want more support to lobby Government and campaign for a ban on smoking in the...

Celtic Inns finds new venture capitalists for further growth.(Sand Aire Private Equity )(Brief Article)
November 4, 2004... Celtic Inns, the 55-strong Wales-based pub chain, has agreed a [pounds sterling]26m buyout by venture capitalist Sand Aire Private Equity to fuel its expansion. Celtic Inns owns 50 mainly tenanted pubs in south and west Wales, and five...

Contemporary expansion to start with two London hotels.(Brief Article)
November 4, 2004... Contemporary Hotels is to launch two London hotels and grow its provincial hotel portfolio before expanding into mainland Europe. The group has planning permission to transform an [pounds sterling]8m former bank on Great Winchester Street...

OCS deal will help Just Deli expand out of South-east.(Brief Article)
November 4, 2004... Facilities management company OCS Group has bought Reading-based contract caterer Just Deli for an undisclosed sum. The takeover increases turnover at OCS's catering division to [pounds sterling]55m, and will allow it to offer Just Deli's...

Anger over facilities for disabled at hotel.(Brief Article)
November 4, 2004... A row has erupted at a Cornwall hotel after a guest claimed it had contravened the new Disability Discrimination Act (DDA). Guest Jenny Gunn told the Cornwall Guardian that she was "furious" about facilities for disabled customers at the...

Zetter celebrates double at Hotel Design Awards.(Brief Article)
November 4, 2004... London's Zetter hotel won two major trophies at this year's European Hotel Design Awards, taking the prize for best new hotel and the innovation award. Second place for best new hotel went to the Laguna Palace and Laguna Suites; third...

IHF seeks better VAT deal for hoteliers.(Irish Hotels' Federation )(Value Added Tax)(Brief Article)
November 4, 2004... The current VAT regime for hotels and restaurants in the Irish Republic is "one of the worst in Europe" and is a barrier to tourism, according to the Irish Hotels' Federation (IHF). The current rate of 13.5% is the second-highest in the...

Page on the lookout for leisure firms.(David Page)(Brief Article)
November 4, 2004... Clerkenwell Ventures, Clapham House boss David Page's new investment vehicle, has raised [pounds sterling]4.5m to acquire high-growth leisure businesses and aims to announce its first deal within six months. A key focus would be hotel...

Stephen Korany.(Brief Article)(Obituary)
November 4, 2004... Hotelier Stephen Korany, renowned for his 42 years of service at the Basil Street Hotel, died on 22 October after a prolonged illness. Korany was appointed general manager of the Basil in 1953 and retired in 1995. He was the youngest-ever...

stockwatch.
November 4, 2004... Gourmet Holdings, owner of the Cafe Richoux chain, was this week's best-performing share in the hospitality sector. The company saw its share value increase 23.4% to 14.5p, putting its share price back on an upward trend. Clapham House...

Wales TUC in move to ban smoking in workplace.(Trades Union Congress)(Brief Article)
November 4, 2004... The Wales Trades Union Congress (TUC) is campaigning to ban smoking in the workplace. The union said it would support a Wales Bill that would protect the health of non-smokers in public places in response to the National Assembly's...

Thompson strikes silver at the Thistle Awards.(Brief Article)
November 4, 2004... James Thompson, the man behind Edinburgh landmarks Prestonfield House and the Witchery, has capped 25 years in the industry by scooping the Silver Thistle, the top accolade at VisitScotland's Thistle Awards. The Flavour of Scotland award,...

Wolseley voted top London restaurant.(Brief Article)
November 4, 2004... Jeremy King and Chris Corbin's Wolseley (pictured above) in Piccadilly was voted the London Restaurant of the Year in the Harpers & Moet Restaurant Awards this week (1 November). Harpers & Queen readers named Heston Blumenthal's Fat Duck...

Hostile reception for plan to increase congestion charge.(Brief Article)
November 4, 2004... London Mayor Ken Livingstone threatened to increase the congestion charge by at least [pounds sterling]1 to [pounds sterling]6 this week, causing an outcry among businesses in the capital. The mayor warned Londoners earlier this week to prepare...

OVER; TO YOU.(Brief Article)
November 4, 2004... Who do you want to win the US election and why? I want Bush to win purely because if Kerry gets in this term, then it blows the chances for Hillary Clinton becoming the next Democratic president. I do think Bush is a dangerous man, but...

DDA and reason.(Disability Discrimination Act)
November 4, 2004... Here's an ethical conundrum for you: a wheelchair user contacts a hotel and asks if it has a lift that can accommodate his wheelchair. Somebody on reception reassures him that the hotel has suitable disabled access, so the wheelchair user books...

Masterclass... squab pigeon.
November 4, 2004... Steve Love, recently crowned National Chef of the Year by the Craft Guild of Chefs, shares the techniques for his award-winning roasted breast and ballottine of pigeon with Michael Raffael After an hour's planning and three hours' cooking...

We love...(Brief Article)
November 4, 2004... ... Bonfire Night Bonfire Night has been celebrated across most of Britain for nearly 400 years. In fact, as late as 1959, it was illegal not to celebrate the failed plot to blow up the Houses of Parliament. Legend has it that it was in...

career clinic.(Where are the jobs for an experienced barista?)(Brief Article)(Panel Discussion)
November 4, 2004... The expert panel Our expert panel comprises representatives from the Hotel and Catering Training Company (HCTC), Accor Hotels UK & Ireland, Greene King Pub Company, MaydayExec, Bartlett Mitchell, Learnpurple, Conran, and Portfolio...

inside track.(Best Western GB)(Company Profile)
November 4, 2004... Best Western GB WHAT BUSINESS IS IT IN? Best Western GB has 316 independently owned hotels and is part of a global brand with 4,000-plus hotels in more than 80 countries. WHAT'S ITS FORM? The company was founded in 1946 by a...

Age discrimination.(Age discrimination legislation )
November 4, 2004... Janvi Patel and Anna Humphrey, assistant solicitors in the leisure and hospitality group at law firm Charles Russell, look at the potential minefield of age discrimination The law Age discrimination legislation is due to come into...

Letters Caterer.
November 4, 2004... Smokers - killing your staff or keeping business alive? After graduating from Les Roches School of Hotel Management, I was fortunate enough to get my final work placement in a kitchen in San Diego, California, a state where there is a total...

M&C doubles third-quarter profits.(Millennium and Copthorne Hotels PLC)(Brief Article)
November 11, 2004... Millennium & Copthorne's bullish third-quarter trading gave the hotel industry another boost last week. The figures, which were announced on Friday (5 November), showed the hotel group, which owns most of its hotels, had doubled its...

Manufacturers want more research on passive smoking.(Brief Article)
November 11, 2004... The health risks of second-hand smoke remain untested, according to a panel of medical experts at a Tobacco Manufacturers Association (TMA) seminar last week. Tim Lord, chief executive of the TMA, said that evidence that passive smoking...

Sign our petition right now.(antismoking campaign)(Brief Article)
November 11, 2004... Caterer launched its campaign to Stub out Smoking in the workplace two months ago because we believe the health of hospitality workers needs to be safeguarded against the harmful effects of passive smoking. Our campaign was launched...

Johnson swaps publishing for management role at Brown's.(Brief Article)
November 11, 2004... Stuart Johnson, publishing director at Conde Nast Johansens, is returning to hotel management at Brown's hotel in central London. He will take on his new role as general manager in January, ready for the reopening of the luxury hotel in the...

Johansens accolade for Glasgow's One Devonshire.(Conde Nast Johansens hotel awards)(Brief Article)
November 11, 2004... Glasgow's One Devonshire Gardens (above) scooped the Most Excellent City Hotel award in the 2005 Conde Nast Johansens hotel awards. The award for the Most Excellent London Hotel went to 51 Buckingham Gate. Other winners included Ford...

Record year for tourism on way.
November 11, 2004... More than 26 million visitors are expected to descend on Britain this year, making it a record 12 months for tourism. The figure will smash the previous record for inbound visitors of 25.7 million in 1998. VisitBritain, the authority for...

Berkshire train crash car driver was a chef.(Brief Article)
November 11, 2004... The man responsible for the Berkshire rail crash at a level-crossing near Reading was a chef at a local conference centre and golf club. Brian Drysdale, 48, finished his shift at the Wokefield Park conference centre in Mortimer, Berkshire,...

Receivers are called in at A to Z Restaurants.(financial difficulties)
November 11, 2004... London restaurant group A to Z Restaurants is on the market after running into serious financial difficulties. The renowned group, which includes Aubergine in Fulham and Zafferano in Knightsbridge, was put into administration on 2 November...

Scotland outpaces UK Government in move towards smoking ban.(public place smoking)
November 11, 2004... Scotland announced radical plans to restrict smoking in all public places including pubs, restaurants and hotels earlier this week. As Caterer was going to press, the Scottish Executive was making last-minute adjustments to health proposals...

Pressure group seeks chip and PIN extension.(Brief Article)
November 11, 2004... The Forum of Private Business, a small business pressure group, has called for the deadline for chip-and-PIN machine installation to be extended beyond the New Year. A survey of retailers by the forum revealed that 47% were not ready for...

OVER; TO YOU.(smoking bans in public places)(Brief Article)
November 11, 2004... Should Scotland have different rules on smoking in public places to England and Wales? I can't see that it would create any enormous problems. My personal view is that we need a bit more flexibility on this issue. Local feedback suggests...

Marston rethinks sale to launch investment plan.(Marston Hotels Ltd)(Brief Article)
November 11, 2004... Hotel chain Marston is launching a major investment programme, including a new-build 120-bedroom hotel in Nottingham, after failing to attract a suitable buyer. A deal with early frontrunner Dawnay Shore Hotels fell through with the...

inside kitchens.
November 11, 2004... The cost of energy is becoming an increasingly important issue when it comes to catering equipment. Operators are looking for ways to make savings in this area, and food service equipment manufacturers are responding by making reduced energy...

career clinic.(Hotel and Catering Training Company)(job opportunities for hotel management students)(Brief Article)
November 11, 2004... The expert panel Our expert panel comprises representatives from the Hotel and Catering Training Company (HCTC), Accor Hotels UK & Ireland, Greene King Pub Company, MaydayExec, Bartlett Mitchell, Learnpurple, Conran, and Portfolio...

inside track.(Radisson Edwardian Hotels)(Company Profile)
November 11, 2004... Radisson Edwardian Hotels What business is it in? A privately owned selection of 12 hotels operating at the luxury end of the UK market with 2,300 guest rooms and 95 meeting rooms. What's its form? The company was founded in...

Single-sourcing keeps it simple.
November 11, 2004... Restricting the number of suppliers for a piece of equipment makes good business sense for Compass. Mick Morgan explains why As one of the UK's biggest buyers of catering equipment, Compass Group is frequently targeted by manufacturers....

BOOKREVIEW.(Southern Table: recipes and gracious traditions from highlands bar and grill)(Book Review)
November 11, 2004... Frank Stitt's Southern Table: recipes and gracious traditions from highlands bar and grill Frank Stitt Workman Publishing, [pounds sterling]30 ISBN 1-57965-246-8 Frank Stitt's Southern Table is written by American chef-patron...

Late payments.(debt recovery rates)
November 11, 2004... Andrew Burnham, a partner at chartered accountants and business advisers MacIntyre Hudson, looks at ways of combating late payments THE LAW The Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 gives businesses the statutory right...

Letters Caterer.(Letter to the Editor)
November 11, 2004... Tendering - the realities and perceptions In response to Mike Oldfield's "grimace" (Letters, 4 November, page 16) on reading some comments that I made in Caterer, a little further explanation is needed. When selecting caterers to...

Smoking: What the papers said.
November 18, 2004... 15 November Choker: Reid signals retreat over ban on smoking in pubs and clubs Most people do not want a blanket ban on smoking in pubs, Health Secretary John Reid claimed this week. His remarks appeared to show a retreat on plans...

In Brief.(Brief Article)
November 18, 2004... Crackdown on drink over Christmas The Home Office has announced a second blitz on underage and antisocial drinking, which will run from 15 December to 1 January, following the successful police campaign in the summer. This time, police...

how i got here.(Sam Laulajainen)
November 18, 2004... Sam Laulajainen, manager, Cellars bar and restaurant, Landmark hotel, London Sam Laulajainen, 26, is about to head off on holiday to the USA, to travel along the famous Route 66 with a group of friends. It's a long way from washing dishes...

on the mo ve.
November 18, 2004... The former head chef of London's Groucho Club, Angela Dwyer, has opened her own restaurant in Snowdonia, North Wales, called the Peak Brasserie. Thistle Hotels has selected Jennifer Charlton as sales director. She was formerly head of...

How to...(English apple pie souffle)(Brief Article)
November 18, 2004... ... make a winter-warming souffle English "apple pie" souffle (Serves four) Ingredients For the base H 220g Bramley apple puree H 50g caster sugar H 30g Vitribis Ruban Noir (apple pectin) For the souffle ...

The burning issue.
November 18, 2004... Cure for the blues in a rainbow nation Simon Wright Feeling depressed about the state of the world? Cynical about the seeming inability of human beings to live together without falling out about race, religion or resources? Pessimistic...

Table talk.
November 18, 2004... WELL, YOU CAN SEE ALL THE WAY TO... UM, PURLEY The invites have been sent out, the Champagne's on ice, the canapes are exquisite. The lunchtime date tomorrow (19 November) marks the official opening of the newest hotel in the Greater...

Planet Holyrood.
November 18, 2004... What do you do when you find yourself at the centre of a media feeding frenzy? We joined the Sodexho team at the Scottish Parliament building, Holyrood, in the run-up to its official opening by the Queen The controversy surrounding the...

Spreading their wings.
November 18, 2004... Airport hotels are changing for the better - and the Radisson SASat London's third airport, Stansted, is one of those leading the way. Jenny Webster went for a flight of fancy You check in for a night at the airport hotel, arriving late....

Palace in the sun.(Emirates Palace)
November 18, 2004... It's being dubbed the most expensive hotel ever built. So what is the Emirates Palace like? Jenny Webster takes a hard-hat sneak preview Can you name any of the United Arab Emirates? Even if you manage Dubai you might be hard pushed to...

Cheers for cheese.
November 18, 2004... British cheeseboards are groaning - with foreign cheeses. That may have been defensible in the past, but home-grown produce is now as good as anything the Continent can offer - and Christmas is the time to enjoy it This Christmas, certain...

Let it be.(Investment in hotel companies)
November 18, 2004... Funding a fledgling hotel company can be difficult, especially if you don't want to burden yourself with masses of debt. But, as Samantha McClary reports, entrepreneurs now have another form of investment to choose from Buy-to-let in the...

inside hotels.(Editorial)
November 18, 2004... When you visit hotels on a regular basis they all start to blend into one another. It becomes harder and harder to find something that's genuinely different, and not just a repackaged amalgam of any number of other properties. That's why the...

Time for Tim.(Tim Hadcock-Mackay)
November 18, 2004... Yes, his dress sense is a bit unusual. Yes, he sounds like Bertie Wooster. Yes, he has discovered the secret of eternal youth. It all makes Tim Hadcock-Mackay unnervingly watchable No, he hasn't had any cosmetic surgery, and yes, 411/2 is...